Love
by roseflorintine
Summary: A plan to make Dom fall for her spirals crazily out of proportion, and Kel is caught in the middle of a love triangle. And now as two handsome men compete for her heart, she's faced with one question. Who does she really love? Story better than summary.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hi! This is a sort of oneshot, but I may continue it if someone wants me to. It's a bit bittersweet.

Kel looked over her glass of wine, staring at a certain blue-eyed sergeant, flirting with Lady Silvia of Emerald Waters. She scowled darkly, looking down. Normally, she would be out on the dance floor, chatting and laughing with the other knights, but not tonight. Tonight, she was feeling particularly depressed at her inexistent love life. She kept those thoughts at bay for as long as she could, but they were resurfacing, especially as the Third Company had returned, and Dom was flirting shamelessly with Lady Silvia. She was almost painfully aware that no male asked her to dance, and that her knight friends didn't even seem to notice that she had matured, along with her figure. Her resemblance to a lump was long gone. Her golden brown hair reached to her shoulders, and her curves had filled out, giving her an hourglass shape, made by all her long hours of training, and she was dressed in a ruby colored gown. She wasn't the best, but she really was pretty. Still, the young men didn't even glance her way. The soft tapping of heels announced someone's arrival. Kel looked up into a pair of sympathetic blue-gray eyes. Daine looked stunning in a floor length strapless gown that flattered her figure. Her smoky curls were piled high and pulled back, letting a couple of strands escape to frame her face. She said, "I know what it feels like."

Startled, Kel asked, "What what feels like?"

"To feel like the person you love doesn't think of you that way." Daine said, voice soft.

"I have no clue what you're talking about." Was she really that obvious?

Daine said, "Yes, you do. You're just in denial about Dom."

Kel sighed in defeat, "Fine, so what if I am? Dom goes for those pretty court ladies, and he just thinks of me as a _friend_." She spat out the hated word.

"Well, I remember when I thought Numair never thought of me that way." Daine said, eyes far away. "I remember asking what was wrong with me, and sometimes even going so far as to wish that I was older, blond, and buxom, just for one night, so he would look at me that way."

She looked at Daine in shock. The wildmage smiled wryly, "Love does odd things to people. I take it that you've wished to be a court lady once or twice?"

Kel blushed, nodding slightly. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes, when you're different and powerful, people look at you differently, so some of us sometimes wish to be normal. But, I wouldn't trade my life for anything. I have no regrets about the lives I saved. Do you?"

She shook her head. "I just wish someone would realize how awfully lonely some of us get sometimes."

Daine nodded sadly. Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed above them. Looking up, they saw Numair there, graceful and slightly imposing in his black robe. Daine hopped up, taking his hand. She looked at Kel. "Find me at the next ball of you want a plan, and think about it." She advised before leaving with Numair.

Kel did. She reflected on all her friends. She loved Dom, but she wouldn't give up Neal, Merric, Owen, and the others along with the lives she had saved. She resolved to find Daine at the next ball. She saw Dom was being swarmed by court ladies that he did _not_ like. Catching her eyes, he mouthed, _Help me!_ She got up and calmly steered around the dance floor full of swirling people in rich finery, and reached the little crowd of ladies. She changed herself a bit, straightening her posture, and putting on a flirtatious smile, much like the ones the court ladies wore. "Dom," She whined slightly, "You promised me a dance tonight."

Dome extracted himself from a particularly clingy girl, bowing extravagantly. "I'm sorry, fair lady. Allow me to make it up to you."

He swept her onto the dance floor. Glad for the training that her sisters had given her, she fell into the dance steps easily. Once they were out of earshot, he grinned at her and said, "Thanks."

She smiled back and said, "It's no problem. What are friends for?"

The word _friends _tasted bitter on her tongue, but she still forced herself to smile. They leaned closer, and swung gently to the music. Kel let her head rest on his shoulder, and the looked like every other couple there. Deep inside, she sighed that they were just friends, but stifled it. What harm could a little pretending do?


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Here's the thing, this might just stay as a two shot or I may extend it even more. It's all iffy, but I rely on REVIEWS! So REVIEW!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Kel paused at the door, hesitating. Goddess, what was she doing? Nevertheless, she knocked politely on the door, once, twice, thrice. The door swung open, revealing, to Kel's surprise, Alanna. She started to stammer out an excuse about a wounded animal when Alanna cut her off. "Daine told me already. This sergeant better be good. Daine! She came, get the supplies ready!"

Kel just stood there, gaping like a fish. Quick as lightning, Alanna whisked her inside the room, where Thayet, Buri, and Daine where busy setting up what appeared to be several racks of dresses, a vanity cluttered with cosmetics, and another table set with an array of hairdressing items. Buri glanced up. "Well, well, our victim has arrived." She said, grinning evilly.

Daine also looked up, and, spotting Kel, ran to her, all but pushing the lady knight into a chair. She said in a brisk businesslike tone, "So, we need to beautify you and all that in time for the ball tonight! Ladies, let's get to work."

"Um, where's Numair?" Kel asked uncertainly.

"Oh, I kicked him out." Daine said. A trill sounded at her feet. Kitten was on her hind legs, claws hooked daintily on Daine's sturdy breeches. "I'm a bit busy right now Kit. However, I think your father has a few gems he needs tested." Needing no more prompting, the dragon took off.

An array of colors were displayed in cloths in front of her. "Now, what colors would suit her?" Thayet asked. They bickered and argued for a good ten minutes, with Kel just listening. Finally, they decided on red, black, and gold. Daine turned to her and said, "Red, black or gold Kel? It's your choice."

Kel looked at the strips of fine silk in front of her. Uncertainly, she pointed at the golden silk. Daine nodded and said, "Great! What golden gowns do we have?"

Thayet grabbed a few dresses from the rack, and handed them to Alanna. She held them up, inspecting them. Some she handed them to Daine, who put them onto a bare rack. Others she would stare at in disgust, and toss them to Buri, who would promptly hang them back on the racks. In the end, two remained. One was a gown that was very big, with gauzy gold lace sleeves and fluttery silk for a skirt. The other was a sleek, sleeveless gown. On it red beads formed intricate, swirling patterns that covered the bottom half of the skirt. It was perfect. They beamed at the look of amazement on Kel's face, and quickly set the dress to the side, guiding her from her chair to the bench in front of the hairdressing table. Daine talked to her reflection, "Now, we're going to put a blindfold over your eyes. Thayet wants you to get the full effect, alright?"

Kel nodded, hissing, "Was this really necessary?"

Daine laughed as she slipped a dark velvet cloth over her eyes, "Of course. This is sort of your rite of passage for us lady fighters. Tonight, you shall make your femininity known to all. Now, don't twitch so much. We can't afford to cut you."

All around her, Kel heard the snipping of shears, and quiet whispering. Finally, after what seemed like eons, but was really just half an hour, the blind fold came off. Kel blinked, eyes watering as they adjusted to the light. She gasped at the image in the mirror. The woman had large hazel eyes, very dreamy. Her hair cascaded around her in loose ringlets, silky and flawless. Thayet looked sufficiently proud of her handiwork. Without a word they hustled her to the makeup station. She sat with eyes closed as they dabbed and brushed. Finally, she opened her eyes, transformed. Delicate gold touched the tops of her eyelids, and her lips were a deep red. Delicate pink touched her cheeks, and her skin was smooth as a pearl. "Some last touches." Buri muttered, bringing out a needle and a scrap of silk. "Time to pierce your ears!" She snickered.

Knowing that she wasn't going to win this argument, she just sat there as Buri stabbed her ears with the needle, wincing in pain every time the needle touched her, biting her lip to keep herself from crying out. They let her ears rest as a golden topaz necklace was draped around her throat, the cool touch of metal like cold water. Then went on the topaz earrings, and finally thin gold bracelet was draped around her wrist. When she tried to say that it was too much, Thayet royally commanded her to accept them, and Kel subsided reluctantly. Finally, the gown was draped on her, feeling like flower petals on her skin. When she looked into the mirror, she truly looked like a great lady. The dress slimmed her waist ever so slightly, and it made her arms look slimmer, and her tallness seemed to just make her even more graceful. Daine said in satisfaction, "There. Dom won't know what hit him."

Kel flushed a bright ruby red as the women chortled. Eventually, they went one by one into the bathroom to change, much more quickly than her. Daine was clothed in angelic white, Alanna in deep red, Buri in green, and Thayet in a deep blue, almost black. They were almost done when the bell struck six, making them curse as they struggled to hurry. Finally, four knocks sounded simultaneously. Daine rushed to open the door, and threw herself into the black robe's arms. Alanna rushed over to George, and Buri went over to Raoul. Thayet patted Kel on the arm, and walked more sedately to Jon. Daine went back to her and said, "Unfortunately, you have no escort, but you still can walk down the staircase without one, goodness knows all those young ladies do, just to play with the men's hearts. Have fun talking with a smitten Dom!"

Kel flushed as she trailed after the couples to the great ball.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Yay! I actually got down. Now, I really would appreciate around 3 reviews per update, so read on!

"Keladry of Mindelan!" The short, plump announcer called out. All of the people quieted. Rumors had been going around when the most formidable women in the realm carted dresses, jewelry, cosmetics, and brushes into a single room, locking themselves up, and later snatching in the Protector of the Small. People wondered what was going on, and were eager to see Keladry. As she descended the stairs, several gasps were heard. She felt all their stares, weighing her down. There were jealous ones from the noble daughters, and, to her immense surprise, admiring and even dreamy ones form the male population. She descended down the stairs, glimmering with gold. Her eyes searched subtly, finally finding their mark. Dom was staring at her in a mix of shock and amazement. She blushed the tiniest bit, dusty pink staining her cheeks as she continued down the stairs.

Dom couldn't believe it. He just couldn't. Kel, _Kel_, was wearing a dress. And a form fitting one, too. Though he hadn't noticed before, her—he blushed to even think of it—_form_ had matured. She now had curves, and her body had rounded out into a quite nice hourglass figure, perfected from all her training with the glaive. She caught his eyes and gave him a smile, and strangely, he felt his breath catch and his chest go all tight. Mentally, he thumped himself. This was Kel he was thinking about. He shivered as he imagined the consequences to come if he acted on those impulses. His imagination provided him with a sudden image–himself, lying in the snow like a sea jelly, every bone in his body smashed to powder, while a furious Kel squishily strangled him. (AN: Anyone know what book that came from? Kel's name is replaced with "Kitai" in the real quote.) That might be exaggerating a bit, but it couldn't be far from the truth if he attempted to court Kel. Sure that he was right, he put those thought out of his head. He smiled easily as Kel walked up. "You look nice today Kel."

She also grinned, "Thanks. Why is it that you aren't a mountain of ladies today?"

Dom frowned, just noticing that no lady had come up to him, trying to win his affections. Glancing around, he saw that although most were glancing at them jealously, none made a move to go up to him. Instead, they were attempting to murder Kel with glares. A sudden realization came to him, and he blushed scarlet. Seeing this, Kel asked, "What's wrong now? Don't tell me you forgot that you were supposed to come here with the Countess of whatever again!"

He mock-glared at her. "For your information, that only happened _once_, and no, it's not that. It's just that I realized the reason I'm not swamped today." He paused, hesitating.

Kel waited patiently and said, "Well? What's the reason?"

"People think we're together." He blurt out. Kel just stared at him as it sunk in. When it did, she started to shift back and forth uncomfortably. "Oh." She said. "I can leave if you want." She offered.

"No!" Dom said, surprised. "This is the first time in I don't know how long that I don't have two ladies on each arm and another five all around me. Trust me; you're doing me a favor."

She grinned at him as he added, "Thanks for being such a great friend."

"No problem." She said back easily, though inside her heart was sinking. _Friends_.

That night, Kel lay in bed, just staring at the moon. Faintly, she remembered a poem from her childhood, sung to her by her mother:

_The Night is a big black cat_

_The Moon is her topaz eye,_

_The stars are the mice she hunts at night,_

_In the field of the sultry sky._

She felt a tear trace its way down her cheek, warm and wet. She swiped it away, but felt more tears come down. As her body shook with silent sobs, she wondered what was wrong with her. She hadn't cried since she was seven. She grappled for her Yamani mask, but it eluded her. She knew exactly what was wrong. All night long, Dom had made nice, innocent, _friendly_ conversation with her. More tears came down, blinding her, turning the moon into a silvery blur. What was wrong with her? Was she ugly? Was she not thin enough? Was her skin not white enough? Was her figure not dainty enough? Was she not perfect enough?

The door creaked open, a tiny sliver of warm golden light falling on her. "Kel," Daine said softly. "Are you alright?"

Kel just shook her head, tears tracing silvery rivers down her cheeks which were pale and drained. "Oh Kel." Daine whispered, enveloping her in a hug, just like her mother had. The skittering of paws were heard and a variety of dogs and cats scrambled onto the bed, warming her.

"Kel, I know how much it hurts." Daine said honestly.

Anger flared up inside her, "How?" She demanded. "How do you know how much it hurts?"

Daine just looked at her sadly and said, "Numair used be quite the ladies' man. When I discovered my feelings, I had to hide them, just like you. So day by day, I had to watch him seduce all those women. Problem was, our walls were usually connected. You can probably understand how much it hurt those noises coming through that wall. It hurt to watch him hold them near in a way that was impossible for me. I hated it. It hurt me in a way I wasn't used to. Kel, I know how much it hurts."

Once again, the tears came down. She lay down, sobbing inconsolably. The animals came closer, warming her. The last thing she felt before slipping into the velvet blanket of sleep was a slender hand stroking her forehead.

AN: Yeah, motherly Daine, something I've never tried before. I didn't think it was that bad though.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I got 3 reviews, which means you can do it again, and possibly even more. C'mon, you can do it. Tell me what you think! Alright, from this chapter on, the story probably will be on a lighter tone, so read on and REVIEW!

When Kel woke up, three pairs of eyes staring at her anxiously. She sat up, brushing away the salty remains of last night's breakdown. Alanna, Daine, and Buri still gazed at her; as if afraid she would burst into tears again while Thayet bustled around, making tea. She said, "I'm fine." Her voice was a rusty croak, barely understandable.

Thayet thrust a cup of piping hot tea into her hands. "Drink." She said, her voice stern, but her eyes also held worry. She took a sip of the tea, feeling it wash down her throat. It was fresh and crisp, hot enough to be pleasant, but not enough to be scalding.

"Now, youngling, why don't you tell us what happened last night? Daine said that it was your story to tell." Alanna said, sitting down at the foot of the bed. The rest of the women found chairs around the room, patient and understanding. Kel just sat there, staring at the cup of tea in her hands, steam rising from it. Finally, she found her voice. "Well, I saw him and I went over to him…" After that, it seemed to rush out. Her anger and pain, his obliviousness to her, and how hard it had hit. When she finished, all the women didn't say a word. They just looked at her with sympathy, offering a comforting silence.

Buri abruptly broke the silence, saying, "Well, we can't just give up. The sergeant may be thickheaded—what man isn't—but we'll make him see how great of a woman Kel is."

The women started agreeing, chiming in about how they just had to make him understand. Kel burst out, "Don't you see? It isn't about him seeing. He simply doesn't like me in that way." She struggled with her tears again.

"He doesn't like you in that way _now_." Daine corrected her. "Now you just have to make him like you that way." A devious smile spread across her face. "Ladies, we may just have to use the old fashioned way."

The women nodded understandingly, also beginning to smile. "The old fashioned way?" Kel asked, uncertain.

"Good old fashioned lust." Daine clarified.

Kel stared for another moment, uncomprehending. Then it dawned on her. If not for her mask, she might have blushed deep scarlet. "You want me to _seduce_ him?" Her voice rose an octave at the word "seduce".

"Not necessarily," Thayet said, coming over to take away the cup of tea before it dropped. "You just need to make him realize how much he wants you."

Kel didn't manage to completely hide her blush this time. Her cheeks tinged faintly and felt hot. "Are you sure about this?"

All the women nodded resolutely. "Absolutely." Buri said. "Men are such idiots, sometimes you need to employ the oldest ways. Once they realize they like you in _that_ way, the rest is easy. This sergeant may even have like you last night, but simply push it away. What you need to do is have it all build up until he cannot help but notice."

Thayet said, "And that means new dresses, underclothes, tunics, breeches, and about a thousand other things. And lessons. No offense intended Kel, but you have no expertise in flirting, or any of those other things."

As she listed off the man things that she would also need to do, the other women nodded along enthusiastically. Her list winded up as the women stood up and firmly helped Kel out of bed. "Now," Alanna said. "Get dressed, we're going to town."

"For what?" Kel asked, puzzled.

"All those new things, of course." Daine chirped. "We're going to Lalasa's shop!"

Kel brightened at mention of Lalasa. She hadn't seen her dear friend in quite a while, being very busy with New Hope and everything, and had hoped to pay her a visit soon. Daine whispered in her ear, "I know this may seem ridiculous, but trust me, it helps. Besides, it'll be good for you to relax a bit and act like a girl. It's refreshing, if you only do it once in a while."

An hour later, Kel admitted to herself the Daine was right as she twirled for her friends, trying on her third gown in Lalasa's shop. She found that it was quite nice to try on a gown and be complimented, and it felt nice to be confident and beautiful. This gown was daring scarlet, with a low neckline. She had been skittish at first about the plunging necklines, but Lalasa assured her that it was the current fashion and that it was not any lower than was proper, though it was a bit tight. "I like that one, but I still like the black one better." Daine commented.

"But that one is only for masquerade balls, which we will only have one of this year. It will serve as like a grand last one to this whole entire month of balls." Thayet said. "So we have to get other ones for the normal kind of balls."

Kel listened with interest as she was helped into another gown. "How's this?" She asked.

The huddle of ladies grew silent as they took her in. "I think that one is the best yet." Lalasa said proudly. It was a plain green silk gown, devoid of any decoration except for a bit of embroidery at the hem, yet it seemed special. Unlike the others, it shone without any embellishments. It was also form fitting, and so it was suited for their purposes. They took it immediately, soon leaving the dress shop. Contrary to Kel's belief, they didn't just stop there. They took her to a huge shop, filled with ribbons, jewels, and crystal vials. Before she knew what was happening, Thayet and Daine were already asking the woman at the counter what scent and face paint would suit her while Alanna and Buri roamed the shop to look for ribbons and barrettes to adorn her hair. Barely half a minute later, they were all back together, ushering Kel to one of the many dressing rooms. Thayet held a long bag draped over her arms. "What's that?" Kel asked curiously, allowing herself to be steered around.

"Your dress of course." Thayet said, following them into the room, which was thankfully quite big. The bag was thrust towards her, and she put it on, enjoying the feel of the liquid-like silk; heavy, yet delicate. As soon as the clasps and laces were all done, they ushered her out, stuffing her old clothes into the bag. This dress wasn't a ball gown. It was a simple day dress, but silk. It came down to her midcalf, a sky blue. The pale tone set off her golden complexion well enough, and she was pushed down into a chair for what seemed to be like the hundredth time that day. The bottles, ribbons, and jewels came next. Brushes applied various colors, silky cool ribbons were twined through her locks, and a cherry blossom scent was spritzed very lightly across her body. When she opened her eyes, she no longer looked like Keladry, the Lady Knight. She was a young lady, out for a day of shopping, gorgeous with silver eye shadow and ruby lips. Pale blue silk twined through her hair in thin streamers, subtly pretty. All over, she smelled of cherry blossom, a bit musky and faint. She beamed, smiling at the confident woman in the mirror. The girl smiled back, revealing white teeth. "Thanks so much!" She said to the women clustered around her.

Their faces beamed and they all made their way out of the shop, ready to present the new Kel that would knock all those court puffballs dead, along with a certain sergeant…


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Ok, in this chapter, Kel flirts a bit. Or at least, I try to make her flirt. I'm not quite into bays, and have never flirted myself before, so it's just a close approximation of flirting. And since I only got 2 reviews, you should make it up to me by giving me three! *wink wink*

Disclaimer: I love the books, but I don't own them.

The Third Company was training in the practice courts, battling furiously with staffs. The sound of wood on wood resonated around the court, and everyone was intent on besting the other. Dom was training furiously with Fulcher, going on the offensive, but careful not to inflict any serious harm on him. All the men were arranged in a rigid formation, in pairs of two, and Dom and Fulcher were at one end of the long line. A perfect place to see anyone come into the practice court.

Thayet smiled gleefully, clapping her hands. "Oh, this cannot get better!" She whispered quietly to everyone. "Dom is positioned perfectly, and Jon assured me that he wouldn't put Kel on any mission for a month, since she deserves a break and it's been very peaceful these last few months, so Kel won't be in tunics and breeches anytime soon. Let's knock Dom dead."

Hesitant, Kel stepped out, silk flashing as it drew Dom's eye. Dom wondered, _What young lady would come here to the courts?_ As he dealt another blow to Fulcher. His eyes looked up, seeking a face, and, with shock, he dropped the staff and was slammed across the fingers. He didn't even notice the pain. There was Kel, dressed in a beautiful dress that clung onto her in all the right places while revealing quite a bit of smooth, golden leg…

_Snap out of it Dom!_ He mentally scolded himself. _Think about all the severed parts you could gain by seriously courting her._ Yet even that couldn't stop all of the traitorous thoughts from coming through. "What was that?" Asked Fulcher, half angry and half worried. "I could've broken your fingers!"

Then a hand with rose painted fingernails—since when were her fingernails painted?—gently tapped him on the shoulder. On pure instinct, he whirled around staff ready to hit her. Quick as lightning, the staff was out of his hands and lying on the ground, where it would not whack any knights. Kel teased him, "Is that any way to greet me? 'Hi Kel, would you mind being a staff dummy for a while? Thanks, I'd really appreciate it.'"

Fulcher just stared at her in disbelief, taking in everything. "Wow, Kel, you look great."

Kel smiled at him radiantly. "You really think so?" Up until then, she hadn't really heard a male give conformation that her makeover really did work.

"Of course. Um, don't take this the wrong way, but why are you all dressed up? You look great, you really do, but I thought you hated dresses."

"Fulcher," Kel said, rolling her eyes. "I don't _hate_ dresses. It's just a bit hard to wear a dress when you're attempting to survive a joust with Lord Raoul, or fighting with a band of bandits. But, I'm to be given a whole month off, so I decided to change into something more feminine. And," She lowered her voice so that he could hear, but Dom was so close by, pretending to watch the training soldiers, that he could hear too. "I'm trying to impress someone."

"WHAT?" Fulcher whisper-screamed. Kel hushed him and shooed him off, unwilling to reveal anymore.

Dom stood contemplating what he had just heard. Who was she trying to impress? He felt a surge of an emotion that he knew was jealousy, but ignored it. He was just getting protective of her…right?

AN: Ok, kinda short, but it's a filler. I just need to get Dom up and rolling.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: And let to operation begin! I got three reviews, so you can do it again!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and Keith.

"You _are _sure about this right?" Kel asked nervously, straightening her red silk day dress.

"Positive." Daine reassured her. "Keith is one of the best actors I've ever met. He's also a person I trust not to take advantage of you."

"Where's Alanna and the others?" Kel asked, stalling.

"Nuh-uh, Kel, no stalling. They're subtly telling Dom that you've got a new lover, and that he's very loving and handsome. I'm in charge of the actual guy. You'll have to kiss Keith once in a while, but Keith knows how to make it look all dramatic without you needing to actually be passionate. Thayet also says we seemed to underestimate your flirting skills, and you seem to be fending just fine for yourself."

Now that nervousness was vanishing, replaced by a sort of devious excitement. She was going to show the world how feminine she could be. That feeling also vanished when Daine brought out the most ridiculous pair of shoes she has ever seen. They were sparkly heels, deep red, and studded with tiny rubies. "What _are_ those things?" she spluttered.

"Shoes that you're going to wear." Daine stated bluntly, putting them down on the vanity with a distinct _thunk_. Kel, who had lost all control over speech, just shook her head vigorously.

Daine giggled at her expression. "Don't worry. Since you've been training with that glaive so long, your sense of balance would be pretty good. After an hour or so of training, you should be able to walk reasonably well." _An _hour_?_

An hour later, Daine stood over her, face solemn but eyes sparking with suppressed mirth. "I stand corrected."

Kel groaned. She had finally mastered walking steadily in heels after two hours. Despite the huge bruise that had blossomed over her lower back, she felt proud. Three knocks sounded at the door, and she rushed to get the door. She pulled open the door just as Kitten ran by, chasing a mouse, knocking her off her feet and into the stranger. Strong hands set her back on her feet. She looked up into vivid green eyes. He had fair blond hair, and tan skin. "I'm guessing this is the person I have to act with?" He asked Daine, who was sitting in a chair, scolding a gray Kitten. She looked up and nodded, grinning. "Kel, meet Keith. Keith, meet Kel."

Keith swept into a dramatic bow, kissing her hand. "It is a pleasure to meet one so fair."

Despite herself, she felt a smile begin to spread her face. "Player." She teased him, allowing herself to be led along as he joked with her.

Dom was sparring with Alanna, feeling decidedly sullen. She had told him about how happy Kel was that she had such a wonderful lover, and how handsome he was, and how chivalrous he was, and so on…

Suddenly, a burbling, musical laughter sailed over the grounds. Alanna signaled a break, pointing at two figures. One was Kel, gorgeous—once again, he shut that part of him up—and she was with a handsome man. His fair blond flashed in the bright sun as another joke of his sent Kel into a fit of giggles. Her rich brown hair framed her face in loose ringlets. He felt a hot anger rise up inside of him as he marched over to meet Kel's new lover.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Well, Thanksgiving break has started! Count this chapter as an early Thanksgiving gift, since I'll be in my old house for Thanksgiving break. And remember to give thanks about this author who simply _adores_ reviews. Now, let the "fight" for Kel begin!

"…and then she just slapped him across the face!" Keith finished, miming a slap at the air.

Kel giggled at the whole story. Apparently, Keith's friends weren't the most suave, and weren't good with the ladies. Keith was very good at telling stories, never once stumbling through the words. And he never just told a story with words, he told it with his whole body. He would mimic actions and expressions, making it crystal clear _exactly_ how his friend had gotten rejected quite brutally. She supposed it came from being from a long line of actors, and even she had to admit he was good. Each time they neared a person, he would put on his best charming face, tenderly taking her hand and leading her away, winking at her when nobody was looking. Just as he was beginning to launch into another narrative on a lady he had unfortunately chased away. He reminded her of Neal, raving on about her hair that caught the very sunshine in it, her eyes that glittered like stars on the darkest night, and so on. The steady thumping of boots alerted another soldier's presence. He looked up, prepared to do the "adoring lover" act, but stopped when he saw who it was. "Showtime." He whispered in her ear. "Now, just glance at me adoringly like I just said the sweetest thing ever."

Kel struggled to hold back laughter, but did as instructed. She giggled lightly, glancing at him from under lashes, pretending to fidget with the silk folds of her gown, allowing a light blush to stain her cheeks.

Meanwhile, Dom was seething. How could this man steal his Kel away? _Wait, wait, _my _Kel? Since when was she mine?_

_She's always been yours!_ A voice piped up in the back of his mind. _You love her!_

_Wha-what do you mean? Kel's like a sister to me. Sure a pretty, kind, valiant sister…_

_See, there you go. You can't even focus on an argument with yourself without starting to moon after her._ That part of him seemed to almost snicker at him. He was going insane, arguing with himself.

_SHUT UP!_ He screeched at that part of him, firmly shutting it up. What mattered was this man didn't deserve Kel. He knew his type. He would make her believe that he loved and adored her, and then crush her heart. It was his job to protect her.

The man bent his hair, whispering in Kel's ear, gently brushing her hair with one hand, twirling the silky strands for a second before releasing them. What he said must have been sweet, because Kel did something he had never seen before. She looked at him and giggled, then actually looked down and began to fidget a bit, obviously embarrassed, and blushed. Then she looked up, and kissed him on the cheek, smiling softly. That did it. he marched on.

Keith muttered, "Here he comes."

Dom was coming, a strange light in his eyes. With a flutter, Kel realized it was jealousy. _Maybe I do have a chance after all._ She thought, gaining confidence in the plan. She stepped forward, putting an extra spring in her step, as if buoyed by the wonderful river of love that supposedly flowed through her. "Dom!" She called merrily. "I want you to meet someone!" She reached forward, tugging him by his hand, dragging him to Keith, who watched her with his most expert expression of amusement and affection.

"Who's this, sweet?" He asked fondly, subtly winding an arm around her waist. His eyes flashed at her, _So sorry, but I have to do this. _

"This is Sergeant Dom, head of the Third Company. He's in the King's Own." She introduced him.

"Dom, I want you to meet Keith, my," She paused, smiling at Keith fondly, pretending she was smiling at Dom. "Lover."

Keith stepped forward, shaking Dom hand in a firm grip. "How are you?" He asked, sending the "don't even think about it" look at Dom, just like any normal lover would.

Dom eyes flashed a challenge, and he straightened. "Well, good day Kel. Are you going to come to the mess hall, same as ever today?"

Kel made a noise of regret. "Afraid not, sorry Dom. I'm taking dinner with Daine. Do me a favor and make Neal eat hid veggies today, won't you?" She stood up, and on a whim, bent down to also kiss his cheek, but this time it was fond, not a lover's kiss.

Dom watched her walk away into the castle hand in hand with Keith. Then he walked to other way to vent his anger on some dummies. Alone.

AN: Aww, poor Dom. Well, let me know what you think in a review!


	8. Chapter 8

AN: After you read this chappie, I suggest you go to my poll and vote on what I should do.

Dom was, by no means, and idiot, even though he acts like one sometimes. And so, in the light of recent events he had begun to piece together how much Kel really meant to him. The saying, _you don't realize what you have until it's gone_, is unfortunately true. And now Kel was gone. She had been swept away in the arms of Keith. Stupid Keith. Yet even as he thought it, he knew that Keith really did nothing wrong. He had fallen in love with Kel, and wanted to be with her, much like Dom. But he needed _somebody_ to blame. He tried desperately to think of a way to fix this, to get Kel back. He needed her.

Meanwhile, Daine and Kel were about to set phase two of their plan into action. Around noon, Kel would be seen, storming away from Keith. She would be a mess, all crying and all that. Then it would be up to Dom to comfort her. Keith laughed. "This man is sure thick." He marveled.

"You have no idea." Kel muttered to herself, grinning as Daine artistically smeared her makeup and applied a couple drops of water to the messiness, giving the appearance of tears. A series of rips were applied to the seam of her dress, as if she had tripped over it in her haste. She grinned, already liking this.

Meanwhile, Keith watched in silence. He didn't know why, but the approaching plan made him feel a sense of loss. Over the time he had known Kel, he grown to admire her. She was so independent, with her own kind of beauty. It wasn't the blatant type, but one that lay underneath, glimmering like warm flames. But that shone through whenever she grinned and giggled. Damn it, this was supposed to be a simple favor for Daine, not a chance to fall in love. But he knew tht was exactly what was happening. He wasn't all the way in for now, but it wouldn't be long. He loved Kel, with her fierceness and beautiful smile. But did she even return the feeling? Her heart was filled with love for Dom. He could see it every time she gazed so wistfully at him. But he also knew he had to tell her soon. If he didn't, it would haunt him for the rest of his days, a shadow in his mind, whispering, "What if?"

But when? He was so torn. But then Kel looked over and gazed at him with so much trust that he would help her gain the guy of her dreams. When to tell her? He wanted a chance with her so bad, but how to go about it? He would never force her to give up Dom for him. Goodness knows he didn't deserve her. But did Dom?


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Well, this chapter may not be as good, because I'm a bit angry. Apparently, one of my classmates thought it would be a grand joke to steal the book I was reading, along with my pencils and erasers while I was running an errand for the teacher. So, review and go check out my new poll at the very top of my profile.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Keith and the plot.

A battle had raged on in Keith for almost half a bell now, but finally one side had finally prevailed. "Kel?" He asked hesitantly. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

She looked at him, still beautiful despite the smeared makeup. "Sure, what's wrong?"

This was it. He could either tell her or chicken out. "Kel I," He breathed in deeply. "Like you."

"I like you too!" Kel said, giving him a hug around the shoulders. His heart sunk when he realized what she though he meant.

"No, not as a friend. As a…" He let his voice trail off.

Kel jerked back. Her hazel eyes widened as the new information was processed. "Oh," She said, and then repeated more quietly, "Oh."

Feeling crushed, Keith mumbled out, "Um, I'll just go now." as he made for the door.

Suddenly a warm hand grabbed his arm. "Keith," Kel said quietly. "I'm not sure what to make of this. I don't know whether I love you or Dom. I'm sorry." Her eyes began to glisten. "I don't know what to make of any of this." Tears began to trail down. "I've made such an awful mess of things. Who knew love could be so complicated?"

Keith reached forward and hugged her, not as the lover he wanted to be, but as a friend, simply lending comfort and warmth. She leaned in, glad to have some reassurance, and said, "I got it!"

"Got what?" Keith asked, puzzled.

"A way to fix this." She said eagerly. "I tell Dom that me and you are simply taking some time apart to think about things. This way both you and Dom will have equal chances to spend some time with me. I can get to know both of you even better, so I can be sure.' Seeing Keith's sad expression, she said, "Keith, I like you as a friend, but I'm not sure as a lover yet. I would like to feel like a woman now and again. I wish I didn't have two people fighting over me, but if that's what it is, then you might as well do it in the classic style."

From any other person, it would have seemed petty, but with Kel, Keith could understand. She didn't like fighting, but no one had ever really treated her like a proper woman. She just wanted to be romanced once in a while. It wasn't her fault that the fight had sprung up, but he would give her the attention she deserved.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Sorry I didn't update sooner. My computer crashed, and so now I got a new one. Had to save a bunch of files before they were destroyed though

Disclaimer: See, this stuff is called FANfiction for a reason.

Dom was still renting all his stress over Kel on a dummy, imagining it was Keith, when a hand delicately tapped him on the shoulder. Instincts kicking in, he whirled around, staff held up. A tanned hand shot out, grabbing it firmly. "I thought we went over this Dom," Kel chided jokingly, hazel eyes full of mirth. "You don't whack friends with a staff unless it's Meathead."

Dom lowered his staff, feeling a blush creep up. Then he noticed something strange. "Where's Keith?" He asked curiously, trying to keep the jealousy that seemed to be consuming him lately from his voice. But he was curious. Kel and her new lover had been inseparable, but their friends hadn't seemed to notice, busy with their duties.

Kel seemed to grow more solemn. "Dom," She said hesitantly, "I'm going to be blunt here, I'm not so sure about my love life anymore."

Dom felt a red haze around him. "Did he hurt you?" He demanded.

"No!" Kel exclaimed, obviously surprised at the conclusion he had drawn. He felt his rage diminish. "It's just that I'm not sure about him."

Dom stared at her uncomprehendingly. "Dom, I like Keith, I really do, but there's someone else."

"Who?" Dom asked, scrolling in his memory, searching for anyone else she had seemed interested in. He drew a blank.

Kel smiled at him, but this one was different. Before her smiles had been like the sun: shining out, warming him up with the friendliness of it all. He relished those smiles. But this one was different. It was just as wonderful, but in a different way. It was sweetly timid, as if not sure whether to continue on or stop, like an unfurling flower. It was a smile that she had never let him see before. "Silly," She said gently. "The other person is you."

Kel had never been so frightened before than when she confessed to Dom. He just stood there stock still, as if he had been struck by a stone. "Dom?" She prodded at his side. He blinked, coming to life.

"You _like_ me?" He asked incredulously.

"I _like_ you, but I also like Keith. So Keith and I are going to take some time apart before I decide on what to do next. Meanwhile, I'm going to get to know the two of you even better." She smiled up at him and gave him a hug, walking calmly away.

He stared after her, brain processing the onslaught of information it had been given. But he wasn't completely stupid, and understood what this meant. It was war among men.


	11. Chapter 12

Dom took a deep breath, standing outside Kel's door. He was acting like he was thirteen or something. In his hand he clutched a single deep lavender rose, symbolizing love at first sight. On its stem, a piece of parchment was tied with a white silk ribbon. Very gently, he set down the rose outside of her bedroom, and slipped away, silent as the night.

The next morning, Kel rose, just like she did every other morning, a habit that she had been taught for years. Today, she slipped on a nicer shirt and a loose skirt, easy to move in. However, when she opened the door, she found something that was most certainly _not_ a part of her time-honored routine. A lavender rose stood waiting for her, a piece of parchment tied onto it. Slowly, as if in a trance, she picked it up, feeling the silky softness of the silk ribbon. The parchment read:

_Dear Kel,_

_I have a surprise planned for you, but you're going to have to think. The gift below is your first clue._

_Dom _

She glanced around, and to her surprise, there was a toy bear there. Cautiously, she picked it up, and wondered how on Earth she was supposed to use this to help her. Then she smiled, remembering one particular event a year ago, when the Third Company had stayed for a couple of weeks:

_Kel wiped the sweat off her forehead, staring in satisfaction at the dummy in front of her. "I think that's enough training for this morning." She said to herself. Jump yelped in agreement, probably already thinking about sausages. "Psst." A voice hissed at her._

_Kel turned around… and jumped a foot high. Behind her was a monstrous bear, dark brown and snarling. She raised her glaive, ready to stab the bear at any moment if it was hostile. But to her astonishment, the bear opened its mouth and Dom's voice floated from it. "Chillax Kel, don't stab me!"_

_Kel lowered her glaive in astonishment. "Dom?"_

_The bear seemed to flicker, and disappeared, showing Dom. He was grinning mischievously, white teeth flashing in the sunlight. "Daine and Numair's helped me with the bear thing. I can't wait to see Meathead's face when he sees a monstrous bear in the stables."_

_He laughed, a carefree sound, and suddenly Kel hugged him. He stiffened for a second, and then hugged her back in a huge bear hug. "I've missed you, Dom." Kel told him earnestly, wishing that she could tell him exactly how much she had missed him too._

"_Missed you too, Protector of the Small." He smirked as he used that hated nickname. But on account of his long absence, she let it slide. "Could you somehow get Neal here? I can't exactly just roar and alarm everyone in the castle, as much fun as that would be."_

_Kel rolled her eyes, not believing how many times she had to do this. She ripped her tunic a bit, nothing drastic, mussed up her hair and put on a panicked expression. Dom nodded in satisfaction. "Thanks, Kel, you're the best."_

"_I know." She said, and ran off. She found Neal in the library, ruffling through some ancient tome. "Neal! Help me, there's a _bear _in the stables!"_

_Neal, being Neal, just looked at her for half a second before reacting. He jumped up, grabbed his sword, and rushed after her. She led him into the stables, pointing frantically at Dom, who was in bear form again. The "bear" snarled and saliva dripped from its gaping mouth, full of sharp white teeth, perfectly equipped for killing knights. It took one swipe at him and Neal screamed. Unfortunately for him, his scream sounded like a girls, all high pitched and nasally. Dom and Kel couldn't help it. They disintegrated into helpless laughter, the bear aura fading. Every time they chanced a look at Neal's face as he stubbornly managed a disdainful look, they collapsed back into laughter. That was one of the best days in her life. When the Own had gone the following week, she had even wept her a bit herself, believe it or not._

She smiled fondly at the memory, and then focused again on the toy. What could have connected? Suddenly, she knew. The stables. That's where Dom had staged the entire bear thing. Sure enough, when she got there, Peachblossom was saddled, a feat in and of itself. Kel smiled, wondering how many bites Peachblossom had to deal out for him to be saddled up. In the saddlebags, there was a parchment.

_Very good Protector of the small. Now, just follow the map and then you'll see what I planned for you._

She pulled out the other parchment. It was a well-drawn map, with a trail drawn in bright red ink. She smiled brightly, feeling a rush of warmth. How much trouble had Dom gone into doing this? She swung onto the saddle, careful to not rip her skirt. The trail was odd, not even a path, just instructions. After a good twenty minutes, she finally was close to it. Just as she approached a final destination, a figure jumped out. "BOO!"

Peachblossom reared a bit in shock, and with her riding sidesaddle because of her skirt, she was also thrown. She closed her eyes and braced for impact, but instead of feeling stony ground, she landed in a pair of warm, well-muscled arms. A pair of mischievous blue eyes glinted down at her. "Hey Kel."

Kel hit him in the chest, and smiled with satisfaction when he winced. "What in the Goddess was that, Dom?"

Dom looked at her with guilt in his eyes. "I'm sorry Kel, that wasn't supposed to happen. But," He glanced down at her in his arms, smirking, "Something good came of it."

She blushed and said, "Put me down you big lump."

He did as she asked, and looked at her seriously. "I'm sorry Kel, but I planned out this whole entire picnic for us, won't you join me?"

She melted as he gave her his pair of puppy dog eyes, and allowed herself to be led away. Good things did happen after all, she mused to herself.

AN: I know, I know, I'm in SO much trouble for my long case of not updating and then dumping an absolutely TERRIBLE chapter on you guys, but I'm drowning in writer's block and can't help it, SORRY! As a sorry gift to anyone who feels they need it, they can request ONE oneshot that I will write and can take as many cyber hugs from Numair as you feel like (I kidnapped him).


	12. Chapter 13

AN: So, I know I said I have a case of writer's block that could smash the world to smithereens, but thanks to one review, I now have a little more inspiration. This chapter is RIDICULOUSLY short, so I don't blame you if you hate me.

Disclaimer: I own the plot. I own Keith. I don't own anything else, Tammy Pierce does.

Kel came out her room all cleaned up from the forest, feeling like she was walking on a cloud. It had been so perfect! She reflected on her current situation. Who would have thought that she, the Yamani cow, would have two men fight over her? _And good looking ones too_. She thought absentmindedly, and then mentally slapped herself. Now she sounded like one of those giggling girls at the ball, wearing their corsets so tight, they probably would faint if they tried running. Or eating, for that matter. She snickered at the mental image of one of the girls trying to take a bit of food, and promptly fainting. "Kel?" A voice shyly asked.

She whirled around in the hallway. There was Keith, his hair freshly brushed, in his nicest tunic. In his hands, he clutched a bouquet of flowers. They were yellow, with red tips, and reminded her of flames. "Oh, hello Keith!" She said happily.

He held out the bouquet of flowers. Gently, she took them, and looked at them. They were very serene, beautiful in a quiet sense. She was touched he had picked out a flower that fit her so well. "They're lovely Keith." She said sincerely, wondering where she could find a vase to put them in.

He blushed again. Slowly, Kel was finding she liked this side of Keith. The cocky, confident actor was gone, in his place stood a young boy, vulnerable and sweet. "I picked them just for you. They signify friendship," He looked even more embarrassed. "And falling in love."

And just like that, it happened. Holding the roses in one hand, she leaned up and gave him a hug. "That has _got_ to be the sweetest thing a person's ever done for me." She whispered to him.

As his arms encircled her, she couldn't help but notice how toned they were. _Silly court girls, tight corsets, fainting._ She reminded herself. But her mind kept right on admiring how muscular some men were, and even started comparing Dom and Keith.

Keith finally stepped back, and took a deep breath. "Kel, may I ask you something?"

She looked at him. "It depends on what it is."

"Uh, well I know it's sudden, but one of those little balls that lead up to the big Midwinter Ball is being hosted this Saturday. May I have the honor of accompanying you to it?" He looked so nervous, but it was so cute.

"Of course!" Kel beamed at him.

"A-and well, there's something else." Keith muttered.

"What?" Kel asked curiously, eyes sparkling.

Fast as lightning, Keith swooped down, and kissed her. Kel stiffened in shock, but soon decided that she quite liked this. Hands going to his hair, what was initially a short, sweet kiss deepened, until a cough interrupted them. Jumping away from Keith, Kel whirled around, and looked straight into the eyes of none other than Dom. His eyes were clouded with a bit of hurt, and anger. Not at her, but at Keith. Turning back to Keith, she saw that he too was glaring right back, a challenge in his eyes. Back and forth she looked, and she now stood in the middle of the two men. It was all too much. She couldn't go either way, for it could be signified as her choosing someone, and she wasn't quite sure she was ready to choose yet. Just then, the sound of footsteps announced another person. "Kel!" Numair Salmain said jovially. "I was just looking for you. Remember, you promised Daine that you would show her some of the hand-to-hand combat techniques…"

She had never been more thankful than when he dragged her away, babbling on about some trivial thing. As soon and they took a turn, he stopped chattering and turned to look at her, eyes sparkling in amusement. "Got yourself in quite a situation there." He commented.

She nodded vigorously. "Thank you so much Master Salmain."

"Oh, just call me Numair. Master Salmain sounds so _old_. Anyways, you need to thank my magelet. Some bird told her that it saw two male two-leggers, fighting over a mate. She put two and two together. Well, I really must be going. Have fun with whatever Daine and Alanna have concocted." He sauntered off, smiling in amusement.

She waved goodbye to him and continued on her way to the palace gardens. Sitting on a stone bench, she knew two things. First, Dom and Keith did NOT get along. Secondly… she quite liked kissing.

AN: A review (or four) a day, keeps the writer's block away. _Hint, hint…_


	13. Chapter 14

AN: Here it is, another chappie!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and Keith.

Once again, Kel stood outside of a door she _really_ didn't want to knock on, lest she release the powerful forces within. But still, the ball was tonight, and she really wanted to make a good impression with her first escort ever. Steeling herself, she raised a fist and knocked on the door once. Twice. Inside, there was faint sound of stumbling and tripping, accompanied with shouts of, "No, the earrings!" and "That dress is expensive and pretty to boot. Don't use it as a carpet!"

Finally, the door swung open, revealing a devilishly grinning Thayet, one arm supporting a box cluttered with various combs, pins, and brushes, all ready to tug and pull at her hair. "Well, well, let's get you ready for your first ball escort!" She just thrived on this sort of thing.

The spacious room looked unbelievably feminine with all the jewelry, dresses, vials, and brushes. Alanna and Buri argued over which jewels matched the dresses perfectly. Daine was rifling through the closet, which she had filled with all the gowns they had bought on their shopping trip. There was a colorful array of ribbons draped on one of her arms, and one of her hands clutched a crystal vial shaped like a swan. Her other hand picked out the ones that were suitable for a ball, laying them down onto the bed, where there lay exactly ten dresses. Lots of them had already been paired with a necklace or bracelet, and nine had crystal vials beside them, presumably scents, paired with the mood of the dress. "What color would you like?" Thayet asked her.

Daine automatically gestured toward the dresses, setting the ribbons by the right dresses, and setting the last vial in place. As she inched forward for a better look, Alanna and Buri also ran forward and set the last articles of jewelry into place, still bickering lightly over the black and green dress.

Kel was absolutely stunned. Never before had she had such a display of dresses before her. Even when she was young, she had never cared for dresses, and so only wore one on the special occasions. Even then, she usually closed her eyes, stuck a hand inside of the dress section of her closet, and pulled one out randomly. "I think you should go with the violet, turquoise, or red one." Thayet said gently, sensing her surprise at the stunning array of dresses.

Kel shook herself out of her dazed state. "I think the red on is the best." She said quietly. As soon as the words left her mouth, they leapt into action. Kel could not help but notice that they seemed to enjoy this opportunity to feel normal. "So, we decided on a rose scent, garnet earbobs, a gold necklace, and no bracelet, because we can't make you seem to flashy, like one of those court ladies who think if they reflect enough light, they can be the belle of the ball." Daine said briskly, already putting away the other dresses.

Alanna meanwhile choked back laughter. "Oh, my dear, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."

Her comment was explained minutes later. Instead of just giving her the dress, Thayet told her. "We'll need to help you put this one on."

"Why?" Kel asked curiously.

As an answer, Buri, who was carrying the dress, turned it around, revealing the laces in the back… it was a corset. "What is _that_?" She squeaked, inching away from it. Giants, wars, and immortals she could take. Corsets were a whole other story. They just weren't something she could fight.

"I'm so sorry Kel, but it's customary." Buri said apologetically.

Looking into the eyes of all the determined women, Kel just sighed and let the deadly contraption be slipped onto her, remembering to blame them if she fainted during the ball. This corset was, thankfully, not as stiff as some of the other corsets could be. At least there wasn't whalebone inside of it, like she had to endure one time. Once it was on her, Buri asked, "Ready?"

Nodding, Kel braced herself. With one swift tug, all of her breath whooshed out. In an oddly squeaky voice, she said, panting, "Uh… I think that's a tad too tight Buri."

"Whoops." Buri said, and the strings loosened a bit, allowing her to breath. The corset straightened her back, making her feel restrained, but it was to be expected. Apparently satisfied, Buri tied the strings in a knot, and assured her that it would not cause any bodily harm.

After that incident, everything else went normally. Her hair was braided and then piled on top of her head in an intricate criss-cross style, with two red ribbons woven into it. Light pink dusted her cheeks and her eyelids were also faintly accented with red. Her lips were a tougher decision, with Daine saying pale pink and Thayet wanting red, but in the end they compromised and did a darker pink. She put on the jewelry and was forced into the horrendous shoes yet again. Last of all, the rose scent was faintly sprayed on her. She felt the mist settle on her skin as the ladies stepped back to admire their handiwork. Everything was perfect. The corset made her appear a bit slimmer and everything else enunciated her beauty without going overboard. Abruptly, Daine leaned forward to give her a hug, whispering in her ear, "Everything's going to be fine. I'm so happy for you!"

Touched by this comment, Kel hugged her back, and prepared herself for the night ahead of her.

AN: REVIEW! Oh, and if you do, I also have a sneak peek at one of my maybe future fanfics that I will email to you (if you give me your email) and let you read. BUT ONLY IF YOU REVIEW! So, just click on that little button down there and get working!


	14. Chapter 15

AN: Wow. You guys are the BEST! I got FIVE reviews! Thanks so much for your support, and enjoy the chapter.

The morning of his little meeting with Kel, Dom had woken up happier than he had ever been. Everything had gone perfectly, and time raced by. That afternoon, they had parted ways, happy. Only halfway back to his room, he had recalled his earlier intentions to ask her to the ball later. He had forgotten with everything else happening. Rushing back to her rooms, he had arrived just in time to see her accepting some flowers from Keith, and agreeing to accompany him to the ball. When he and Keith had their little stare down, Numair had swept in, tugging Kel off with some mundane chatter, leaving them to glare at one another. Abruptly, Keith had simply turned around, and stalked off. And so he had ended up in this position, and was going—for the first time in YEARS—to a ball without a woman to escort.

Sipping at a glass of some sort of chilled wine, his mood was more than a bit sullen. The short, plump announcer rapped his brass tipped staff, calling out, "Lady Keladry of Mindelan and Sir Keith of Sectarias (AN: Anyone know some old fashioned fief names?)!"

Instantly, Dom perked up, standing up taller as he struggled for a glimpse of Kel. She was dressed in a striking red gown, and her corset was laced up. She had on a few articles of jewelry that accented her beauty perfectly. In short, she was gorgeous.

She descended the stairwell gracefully, one hand on Keith's arm, the other on the banister. Keith was dressed in a simple red tunic, and just looked happy to be there. Inside Dom, the ugly green monster reared its head. "You know, this is her first real escort." A soft voice said.

Looking around—or rather, _down_—he looked into the uncharacteristically soft eyes of the Lioness. "What?"

"This is her first real escort." She repeated. "I know you aren't all that thrilled about who it is, but try to be happy for her. It's a big deal when you've never had a chance to be a proper lady and all that."

Her words rang true, and his shoulders slumped. She was right. Who was he to judge who courted Kel? Sure he loved her, but love didn't just cancel everything out. And when he looked back, he saw how happy she looked. It was the look he had seen many times from his female cousins at their very first ball. So he let it be. A poke on his arm made him look down again. This time he locked eyes with Renata, his closest cousin. She was almost like his little sister. Her raven hair was in simple curls, styled expertly. "Can you dance with me? All these boys are just looking at me. Well," She paused, looking disgusted. "More like my bodice. I'm not a walking hunk of meat, thank you very much!"

Smiling at her kittenish anger, he just nodded, holding out a hand. As they swayed gently on the dance floor, he said, "You know, you could have just asked your brother to do this for you."

Shaking her head, she said matter-of-factly, "But they know that I'm related to him. With you, they don't know that we're related. If I'm lucky they'll assume I'm having some sort of romance with you. At the very least, they might stop making sheep eyes at me all the time."

He had to laugh at that. Eventually she joined in too, giggling softly.

* * *

><p>Kel was having a great time at the ball. Keith effortlessly led her around the dance floor, keeping her amused with witty stories. Soon, they spun as one with the rest of the couples. From above, the dance floor would appearing to be a colorful flower that bloomed and closed periodically. Then came the part where they would switch partners win rapid succession, going until they ended up with their original partner. First, she had panicked at this, but Keith reassured her. "You know the steps well." He told her, smiling encouragingly.<p>

And, surprisingly, he was correct. She switched her first four partners perfectly, dancing with each one for about half a minute. Not a single stumble, even if she was a bit more stiff than usual. On the fifth one though, she saw something that made her stumble. Dom was there in the outer circle laughing with a beautiful young girl. In the pit of her stomach, she felt the tiniest stabbing sensation. "Are you alright?" The man enquired politely. She nodded, mind going into overdrive. Who was the girl? A friend? Family? A _lover_?

Finally, she was back with Keith, who looked more than a little concerned. "Do you want to go get something to drink?" He asked.

Nodding, they exited the dance floor, and he handed her some iced water. As she sipped, she contemplated some more. The masquerade ball was in no more than one week, and she would have to make her decision then. On one hand, Keith was a breath of fresh air. He was new, funny and exciting. He made her feel all lively. On the other hand, Dom was the person who had always been there for her. He was there to encourage her and to just listen. Sometimes it felt as if wherever he was, it was home. Each one had their own good parts, but who was the one that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with?

AN: So... who should she pick? Oh, and before I forget, if you don't know yet, I have a brand new story called "Insanity" up, and would really appreciate it if you just popped over there and gave it a chance!


	15. Chapter 16

AN: I'm sooooo sad! This story is swiftly drawing to a close! After this chapter, there will be one or two more. So please review. Anonymous reviews are enabled, so anyone can submit their opinion.

It was a mere two days before the masquerade ball, and both Dom and Keith had come to an agreement of sorts. Keith got the morning, and Dom got the afternoon with her, and then she got the next day to think and contemplate.

Bright and early, Keith knocked on her door politely. Kel, expecting him, called out, "Come in."

She was dressed in a simple day dress of white. It was graceful, silk falling elegantly to her feet in a liquid wave. "Hello!" She said happily.

"So I was thinking that maybe we could spend a day in the market." Keith said hesitantly. She instantly loved the idea. The marketplace was a large circle of small shops, each with their own appeal.

Throughout the morning, they just rode down to the marketplace. Keith and she bantered, playfully arguing. They were striding by a shop when a sparkle caught her eye. It was a stunning necklace, ruby catching the sunlight and reflecting it off. It was a series of gold wires, twined into lovely designs, with a ruby set in the middle. It was designed to be fitted around the neck. Shaking herself from her foolishness, she prepared to step away. It had to be very expensive, and too much jewelry wasn't necessary. Keith, however, had noticed her temporary pause. Taking a look at where her eyes had been fixated, he saw the stunning necklace. Taking her hand, he gently tugged her back. "We should go in there." He softly said.

Kel shook her head. "No, it isn't necessary. It's probably too expensive anyways."

Despite her protests, he led her into the small store. An old man greeted them. He had pure white hair, and a large beard. "Hello. Would you like to buy something?"

"Can we look at that?" Keith pointed to the display by the window.

"Ah, this one." He said, delicately taking it down. "I made it years ago. Probably my best piece ever."

Up close, it was even more beautiful. The ruby was cut into a million facets, perfectly balanced. "How much?" Keith asked.

The man hesitated. "Twelve gold nobles."

Kel's heart sunk. She couldn't afford it. Keith nodded, and took out his satchel of money. Kel grabbed his hand. "You can't possibly think about buying it."

He said firmly, "Kel, I've seen that look on your face. You're denying it, but you deserve the best."

The old man looked at both of them and then said, "I changed my mind. Seven gold nobles."

It was an outrageous drop in price, especially for a jewelry product like that. Without hesitation, Keith dropped seven glittering coins onto the table. "You young people keep this." The old man gave her the necklace. "I'm growing old anyways, and would like to do some people good."

Carefully dropping the necklace into the purse Alanna had gifted her with; they strode out the door, and back into the bustling streets. For the rest of their time, they just walked around. It was nice to be so relaxed around him. It made her feel almost normal, a girl out with her sort-of-but-not-really-lover. Around noon, they headed back. Daine had already told her that Dom was taking her somewhere in the afternoon, so she just headed into her room to freshen up a bit. She changed into another day dress, this one simple linen. It was a nice deep green that complemented her golden skin.

A knock sounded on the door again. When she opened it, Dom was casually leaning on her door frame. "C'mon Kel!" He said enthusiastically, smiling and showing off his white teeth.

"Where are we going?" She asked curiously as they walked down the hallway.

"You'll see." He said mysteriously.

She just rolled her eyes at his attempt at making her feel suspense and just followed him. It was about ten minutes until she realized where they were heading. "The stables?" She asked in confusion.

"Yeah, I have something that you might want to see." He said happily.

Her questions were answered seconds later when he led her to a particular stall. As soon as she saw the surprise, she melted into a cooing pile. It was an adorable colt, around a day old. She grinned as it struggled to stand properly, legs disproportionally long for such a tiny body. "I thought you might like to see him." Dom said from behind her. "They named him Lightning."

She was barely paying any attention to him, enraptured by the animal. "Where's his mother?" She asked, finally noting the absence of an adult horse.

"Well, that's the thing." Dom said sadly. "She died. The poor boy's got nothing."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Kel was inside, taking a closer look at the calf. Dom handed her a bottle of a white, cloudy substance. Milk. "I thought you might enjoy feeding him and being his second mother for a bit. I figured you would like the experience."

Kel hugged him tightly. Dom, being the sweet person he is, had actually realized that she might enjoy a chance to experience this aspect of being female: the mothering. Taking the bottle gently, she inserted it into the colt's mouth. It suckled happily, big brown eyes gazing at her with unashamed adoration. Smiling up at Dom, for a moment she just forgot it all. It was just her, Dom, and the colt, sitting in a still, peaceful moment.

AN: I'm BACK! Miss me, anyone? Yes, short chapter, but I wanted to post something for you guys! Anyways, like I said, this is almost over, so PLEASE review, for this is one of your last chances. And a big thanks to ANYONE who voted in the poll! It's not too late though, it's still open!


	16. Chapter 17

AN: Wow, this is it. The final chapter. After this, there will only be an epilogue, and then it will be over. I just wanted to thank everyone who read and reviewed. If you want to, you can put me on author alert, because I will put up a new fic soon! Many thanks to:

**Gingerroot15, Hey is for horses, Hi, Anon, Shazam, Jayley, ZuliaGirl, Lady-Knight-Sam-Carter, Rose-I-am, Thea, Shieldlessknight, TamariChan, Summit33, Elisel32, Fireuser, NativeAmericanGirl, Spazzysassyangel, Shygirl5817, Marqueza, Greenscarfgirl, Na'viWolf, EmiRose, and TheWackedOne. **

I don't think I could have made it this far without all of you, and as a last request, I would LOVE for everyone who has ever read this story to submit one review, overall. Thanks.

Kel took a deep breath, lacing up her dress. It was beautiful dress, bulky yet elegant. Layers upon layers of silk and lace drifted down, in a waterfall of black. In stark contrast to the bottom, the top was simple, a simple design with silver tracings all over it. Her mask was in an uneven style. It was mostly simple, black fabric covered with tiny bits of obsidian, carved like glittering black jewels. On one side, thin bands of metal formed a delicate feather design. On her ears she wore onyx earbobs, and a thin silver chain circled her neck. When she looked in the mirror, somehow, the black made her stand out all the more. "Are you ready?" Daine asked her.

Kel nodded. Tonight, she would have to choose. Her mind was set, but still a bit of pity leaked in. This was a win or lose situation. Choose one, and the other would be heartbroken. But she knew what to do. If she didn't choose the one she truly loved, her and her lover would be unhappy anyways. It was for the good of everyone. "It's time." Daine said softly, slipping on her own forest green mask. This time, they wouldn't be announced, to keep everything anonymous.

Slipping in unnoticed, Kel took a good look at the ballroom. It was stunning. The room was now lighted with small orbs of mage light, drifting gently around the room, creating a dim atmosphere. Dom and Keith found her immediately, Dom in navy blue and Keith in crimson once more. Taking a deep breath, she said softly, "Why don't you two sit down with me?" Gesturing at one of the nooks carved into the wall, padded with cushions.

They both took a seat. Kel said softly, "I've finally decided. Both of you are special to me, but I had to choose the one that I truly love. The one that I can't imagine a life without. It's… Dom."

Keith looked heartbroken, and Kel rushed to assure him. "Keith, you're wonderful in your own way, it's just that I don't love you. You deserve a woman who actually loves you. I can't be that." She said sadly. Keith just nodded. He didn't look jealous, or angry. Just… sad and resigned.

"I kinda already knew before you even said it." He said weakly. "It's okay." He turned to Dom. "Treat her well. You are one lucky man." Then he departed.

* * *

><p>Keith already knew. He understood. The way Kel looked at Dom was a thousand times more than the way she looked at him. From the moment he started, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. But he had to try, for his peace of mind. Now he knew, and an odd sort of peace settled over him. He was sad, but resigned to it already. He knew that she truly loved Dom. He had done some good, for now Kel could have her love. He sat down in the palace gardens, reflecting. Abruptly, a woman appeared, and plopped down right next to him. She had fine blond hair that shimmered like gold and amber eyes that were lively and wise. "Well you seem like a sad fellow." She stated.<p>

He just shrugged. "A woman I cared deeply about just rejected me."

She looked at him, amber eyes searching. "I suppose that is rather tough. But then again, if you truly loved her, you'd be happy."

"I am happy for her, I just still wish she had chosen me. I had already guess she loved someone else though. I just had to try."

She stood up, saying matter of factly, "Then you ought to give it some time to simmer and just relax for I while. C'mon, dance with me." She began swaying in the moonlight, holding out a hand. Around her, there was a faint halo of white light, and she looked angelic, only wanting to help him. For a second, he just looked at it. Then, slowly, he took it, and stood up. Then he did what he knew he had to. He let go of Kel.

* * *

><p>Dom wasn't as happy as he should've been. True, a part of him was elated at Kel picking him, but he felt bad for Keith. After all, he loved her too. And Dom knew what it was like to love Kel, and he knew how he would've felt if she rejected him. Silently, he vowed to take good care of her, for himself and Keith, and hoped that Keith found his love too one day. Kel asked him, "Are you okay with me picking you?"<p>

Looking at her in disbelief, he said, "Kel, I never wish to spend my life with anyone but you. You are my true love, and I was daft to think otherwise."

She smiled, and it was the most dazzling thing he had ever seen, and it was perfect. They both felt something warm thrumming through their veins, filling their ever pore. It was something that made them want to simply be with one another forever. It was timeless, and patient. It was kind and unexpected. It was what poets have gushed bout and writers have ranted on. But it could never be truly understood until one experienced it. It was love.

AN: And that's it. Look out for the epilogue, cause it's coming soon. To everyone, please review, one last time.


	17. Chapter 18

"Keith, get back here!" Kel called, leaning against a cherry tree.

Her devilish little son of four simply giggled and ran to the nearest tree, amber eyes mischievous. His sandy curls bounced. Behind him, Layna, stumbling along on her little two year old legs, also trailed after him, laughing for no apparent reason. She had long, raven black hair, and big blue eyes, an odd combination. Kel sighed, resting a hand on her very pregnant belly. Dom laughed and said to her, "Relax a little, Kel. They are children after all, and it's a wonderful day."

He was right, it was wonderful. A light summer breeze filled the forest, and the gentle gurgling of the stream put everyone at ease. Birds sang from the branches, voices intermixing in a complicated harmony. "Don't go near the stream Keith." Kel called out, walking—or rather waddling— towards him.

Keith and Layna were both already occupied, though. A majestic black horse had just trotted in, and the two children rushed to it, patting its mane with tiny hands. The horse bore the treatment patiently, just standing there. After a couple of years of it, he had gotten used to it. "Daddy, can we please ride?" Keith asked, putting on his best puppy dog eyes. Layna also caught on, making her own pleading expressions.

"Kel?" Dom asked.

She sighed, and then nodded. The children cheered as they rushed to hug her, and then ran back to the horse. One by one, Dom hefted them up to the saddle, and then led them around the small clearing. It was simple, but nothing was more exciting for Keith and Layna than being up high. She reflected on her life. It has been a good one, with many harsh moments, but also an abundance of good ones. "Mama?" Layna asked shyly, pulling her hand. Keith was still on the horse with Dom, but apparently she had gotten off. "Will you tell me about how you and Daddy met?"

Kel smiled. That was a story that both her children loved. Sitting on the soft grass, she pulled Layna close. "Well, Mommy used to love your Daddy, but he didn't know, so she tried to make him pay attention to her."

"Why didn't you just tell him?" Layna questioned innocently.

"Because Mommy was very, very shy." She intoned solemnly. Layna giggled. "Anyways, Auntie Daine, Alanna, Buri, and Thayet all helped Mommy…but another boy also helped Mommy, and he loved her too."

"Who?"

"Your brother is named after him. His name was Keith. Now Daddy finally realized that he loved Mommy, but Keith loved Mommy too, so they decided to let me choose."

"How did you choose then?" Layna asked, cuddling closer, her liquid blue eyes inquisitive.

"It wasn't hard, but in the end Mommy has to ask herself who she really loved. And that was your Daddy." Kel said softly.

"But what is love?" Layna asked.

Kel hesitated, searching for the right words. "Love is a difficult thing to explain, sweetie. I guess love is when a person would do anything to make you happy, even if it meant letting go. Love is a difficult thing to find, but it's worth it in the end. _I_ love you, and so does Daddy, but that's a different kind of love. Maybe one day, you'll find a person you love, just like me and Daddy, or Auntie Daine and Uncle Numair."

"And I'm lucky to have found you." A voice said softly. Dom and Keith were also there. Kel had been so wrapped up in the story, she hadn't even noticed them approaching. The horse, the very one she had taken care of when it was a calf, chuffed softly, nudging Layna, making her smile and hug him.

Kel smiled up at Dom, hold her children one on each side. Kel's entire family simply stood, frozen in a peaceful moment, the first in a long series of them.

_**THE END**_

AN: *sniffle* It's truly over now. In a day or two, my new story, Ghost shall be put up. Now, c'mon, one last review, eh?


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